Black And Blue September

Cape Cod is past tourist season, although the locals will tell you that September is the best time to come... the Connecticut people are gone, the water is at her warmest, the beaches are all yours, the roads are relatively empty, hotel rates are cut, restaurants are uncrowded, stores are having their annual about-to-go-to-Florida sales, and all that good stuff. I think the Great White Sharks even leave by September... although you may want to check with your local ichtyologistichtiologist ichthyologist before doing anything seal-like, because I just made that September shark date up. I have a segue to manufacture.

Cape Cod is just beginning her now-so-brief high school football season, so stop worrying about sharks and tourists. Much like autumn, the fun lasts until just after Halloween. Good teams get a chance to play through Thanksgiving. Everyone gets to play in September, and they are rounding into shape now.

Since the season boils down to 8 games now, some early losses by Cape teams may really hurt our chances of November football. We still have some teams in the hunt. Nauset is undefeated, as is Pope John Paul II. Monomoy is having an impressive debut, and no one sensible wants to tangle with Barnstable. Barney is #20 in the state, by the way.

We are at the mercy of higher-ranked teams, and someone like Barnstable is going to need a lot of help if they want a trophy in the school lobby. Even one loss is a throat-slitter, and it puts our fate in the hands of other towns. The best a team can do now is to try to dominate the local match-ups, and wait for someone higher in the rankings to f**k up.

As for this week, we advise you to go out and support your local team. The kids appreciate it, and you may even enjoy yourself. The games also end well before the bars close, and don't act like you don't know how to work a flask, player.

The weather should be superb for Pigskinning. A nor'easter that is supposed to form up and head our way will either a) miss us to the east or b) not get here until Sunday. I don't think the ferry rides will be bad for Saturday's Nantucket game, but I'm also on dry land. Friday night's games will be in the 50s, while Saturday afternoon is some couldn't-be-sweeter 60s.

With that in mind, let's see what this column thinks will happen as the nights begin to turn cold....

FRIDAY

Dennis-Yarmouth (1-1) at Nauset (2-0), 7 PM

This matchup will go a long way to establishing just who is running this Cape. Nauset has yet to smell defeat, while D-Y took Barnstable's scalp. People tell me that D-Y is favored by one, despite undefeated Nauset being the gracious host. Look for drinks to flow and blood to spill... and if the Cape wants to fight, you better let 'em. Folks should note that this is also the first of two games between these two, as they also square off on Thanksgiving... in what could be a de facto Cape Cod Super Bowl.

Nauset, 18-17

Falmouth (1-1) at Marshfield (1-1), 7 PM

They say that visiting Falmouth is favored by two, although this column- which has no love at all for Duxbury's archnemesis- thinks that Marsh Vegas is suffering in the books now for the sins of last year's rough season. We still gotta go Vegas, but just by 1 point.

Marshfield, 14-13

#15 Plymouth South (2-0) at Plymouth North (2-1), 4 PM

This is another Thanksgiving game. South is ranked, and North would have been ranked if they hadn't got done up by Marsh Vegas. South is said to be giving 6 points, and- seeing as they beat Vegas 40-14 earlier this year- they can probably afford it. I love cross-town games, always will. I hope, if South loses, the coach goes ballistic and makes the kids walk home. Note that 4 PM start, playboy.

PS, 30-17

Bishop Feehan (0-2) at Martha's Vineyard (1-2), 6:30 PM

The Bishop is 0-2, has been outscored 77-6, will take a ferry ride into seasickness, and lose faster than you can say "Martha by >5."

MV, 16-7

Scituate (2-1) at Pembroke (0-2), 4 PM (Saturday)

They start this game at 4 because, with the budget so tight these days, Pembroke is playing night games by having everyone park around the field with their headlights on. When you resort to that, you try to get as much daylight as possible for game time. They'd start it earlier, but the kids have to, like, go to school and stuff. That's a rough reason to be favored to lose at home by 4 points, but neither life nor the bookmakers play fair.

Scituate, 21-13

Wareham (0-2) at Dighton-Rehoboth (2-1), 7 PM

I could probably find out if I looked at the Mapquest or something, but I like the fact that I made it this many moons without having any idea where Dighton or Rehoboth are. I have them in my head as "around New Bedford." I was born in France, I should add. I should also add that D-R, wherever they may be, are favored by two touchdowns.

D-R, 34-12

Bourne (0-3) at Case (0-3), 7 PM

Both teams are winless, and their +/- ratings this season run 133-21 visiting 129-34. All of Bourne's points came in one game, and they have been outscored 85-0 in the last two weeks. Case is in Swansea, just in case you think I'm a total loser for not knowing where Rehoboth is. I do know that Bourne scored 21 points in a game once, and Case gives it up smooth pretty much every game. Bourne is favored by 1 for a reason, I suppose.

Bourne, 20-17

Carver (0-2) at Mashpee (1-1), 7 PM

I'm kicking around and abandoning jokes/tangents about A) what % of Mashpee's players are Wampanoag and B) genetic shortcomings vis a vis football of Carver's predominantly cranberry-growing talent base. I'd bet that someone at Mashpee High knows the answer to the first one, but I'm pretty sure that I'm also the only human alive who has tried and failed to make a joke along the lines of "Why children of cranberry pickers make for bad football players." I'm secretly rooting for Carver to win a Super Bowl, so I can stop thinking about this. The Mash is said to be favored by 5.

Mashpee, 21-10

Hull (1-1) at Cohasset (2-0), 6 PM

I hate driving to either of these towns, which are miles of windy country roads away from even the other small towns. Cohasset has Mashpee and Monomoy on their schedule this season. Those who know tell me Cohasset is favored by 8.

Cohasset, 30-10

Monomoy (2-0) at Norwell (1-1), 7 PM

Monomoy needs this game and the easy Carver game before a tough Cohasset/Mashpee stretch, and are favored by 1 not to do so. If they maintain their winning ways, there is no way that the Lords can ignore them in November.

Monomoy, 17-14

#1 Xaverian (2-0) at #20 Barnstable (1-1), 6 PM

Xaverian is a tough draw, but Barnstable has handled tough draws before. X hammered B-R, the best team within 50 miles of us, 49-13. Barney got smacked the uck fup by D-Y, who were unable to hang with #15 Plymouth South. Xaverian is much, much better than Plymouth South. There is no reason to disagree with someone who says Xaverian should win by 10 points, unless you publish on Cape Cod and are root-root-rooting for the home 'dogs... especially if a 19 point loss is a win in the eyes of you and the people you wager with.

Xaverian, 31-30

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SATURDAY

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Pope John Paul II (3-0) at Cathedral (3-0), 8 PM

Me likey the 8 PM Saturday night game, although the ride back (Cathedral is in the South End) should land the PJP2 kids back in Hyannis too late to close Pufferbellies. This is a huge test for the John Pauls, as Cathedral is a powerhouse. They won the last two Super Bowls, and have a few monsters on the squad this season. I wasn't looking for this, but I discovered that Cathedral is 98% not-white. I need them to lend Duxbury a flanker, a defensive end, and two cornerbacks. Cathedral has a 9 point pread-say.

Cathedral, 31-20

Nantucket (0-2) at Upper Cape (0-2), 1 PM

A lot of people think UCT got spoiled during last year's Super Bowl run, and are taking it on the chin without their star player. The one-point home 'dog status speaks volumes, especially against a lightly-regarded squad from Nanny.

Nantucket, 14-12

New Bedford (1-1) at #7 Bridgewater-Raynham (2-1), 1 PM

B-R had a high ranking and two very impressive scalps (St. John's Prep and Duxbury) before running into that Xaverian buzzsaw. They have had a bye week period to get ready to whallop New Beffuh by the forecasted 14.

B-R, 31-14

#12 Duxbury (1-1) at Silver Lake (1-1), 1 PM

Duxbury kept a high ranking despite losing to B-R. They have had two weeks to A) think about that loss and her Super Bowl ramifications, and B) prepare for this game. Silver Lake just shut out Malden Catholic, but even a suddenly-vulnerable Duxbury should whip them like lazy serfs... which, in betting terms, means like 10 points.

Duxbury, 21-10

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